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LGP Introduces Linux Game Copy Protection

06-23-2008, 01:00 PM

Phoronix: LGP Introduces Linux Game Copy Protection

For seven years Linux Game Publishing has been selling their Linux-ported games with no form of copy protection on their CD/DVDs, but beginning with their forthcoming port of Sacred: Gold that will be changed. Linux Game Publishing has developed their own Internet-based game copy protection system for Linux, and in this article we have more details on this scheme as well as their motives behind this work.

Can't say I blame them. This might well be something that needs to be done in order to keep surviving. Having 3-4 times more pirates then paying customers is not good at all, and if this helps LGP then so be it. I'm not going to care as long as this isn't any inconvenience for me as a customer.

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Online protection is the only way to go, but for single player games I doubt that they will be really successful. Multiplayer games can be better protected this way. Don't know if that game is SP or MP or both. I would not call that media protection as you can easyly copy those of course. The Internet requirement is a bit bad and I guess if the game is really successfull there will be workarounds.

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Blame the freeloaders... Not my call, it's Michael Simms' one- and the problem that many working for or consulting for LGP have seen has precipitated the response.

As for people pirating it how stupid are some people? I mean do they not want linux gaming to die or what? Some people amaze me.

It's the same sort of thinking that spawns the stuff we're discussing in this recent thread and in the thread you'd linked to in that other thread.

They think they're entitled to something because they can't afford it or because they bought the Windows version of something.

I was afraid that we'd see Mr. Simms do this eventually. We've had conversations online about the subject and the concerns he expresses in the article really do seem to be the thinking about it. There really IS a problem- and while I've tried to not draw attention to it, it's one more reason why we have a hell of a time making titles happen for Linux. I can only hope that it works out decently enough that we can start getting slightly better deals in the door.

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I think ultimately, copy-protection has to use some measure of good-faith, i.e. that if someone likes a product, they'll pay for it because they want to reward the creator and enable them to continue to make good products. I think really that the primary purpose of copy protection is to alert people to the fact that piracy is wrong and illegal. Ultimately we have to appeal to people's moral standards, or we'll end up with the digital equivalent of a police state to deal with crime.

Any society that hopes to survive has to have some moral/ethical standards that an overwhelming majority agree to uphold, and the digital world is no different. Support the creators! Purchase products legally! If people won't agree that that's a good idea, then no amount of copy protection will stop piracy.

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That's funny, I was thinking about this in the shower earlier today, after hearing that piracy is what killed Loki. I'm not sure how true that is because I've also heard other stories about how Loki died. Nevertheless, I find it both surprising and saddening just how much piracy goes on amongst Linux users. It would normally be hard to speculate but what Michael Simms said really paints the picture quite clearly. I'm not sure how effective this will be, especially since many Linux users are perfectly capable of applying a crack. No doubt someone out there would be willing and able to make one. Still, I support the move for what it's worth.

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That's funny, I was thinking about this in the shower earlier today, after hearing that piracy is what killed Loki.

Heh... Piracy was a contributor, but it wasn't the sole cause or the real reason. All one needs to do is look at Scott Draeker did on things like Q3:A to see that it wasn't the sole reason. Bad management, taking on too much too fast, piracy, it all contributed to Loki's demise, with the poor decisions later on in the game when things started not working right that was what started nailing nails in that coffin.

Nevertheless, I find it both surprising and saddening just how much piracy goes on amongst Linux users.

I'm not sure if it's QUITE as bad as Michael Simms painted it, but it is fairly close to the truth, I fear. I certainly know the mentality is very much present, based on the discussions (Flame-fights??) I've had to be party to in recent times over some of the current planned catalog.

"It's old..."
"It's too expensive..."
"It tanked on Windows..."

Those sorts of things tend to lead people to feel like they're entitled to a five finger discount on something- especially if they've got the Windows version, bought in some bargain bin or even when it was freshly published.

It would normally be hard to speculate but what Michael Simms said really paints the picture quite clearly. I'm not sure how effective this will be, especially since many Linux users are perfectly capable of applying a crack. No doubt someone out there would be willing and able to make one. Still, I support the move for what it's worth.

Sure it'll get cracked. Just like Steam, etc. have.

It makes it at least slightly easier to sell a porting prospect to the publisher and studio for these nice titles people keep complaining that LGP, Runesoft, etc. don't seem to be doing- because they also have concerns about us all being a batch of freeloading *ssholes because we didn't pay for our OS, etc. And with sales figures in the past backing that argument up, it makes it that much harder to get the deals- and when someone gives one out, they have much more expensive terms, which raises the price just that much further.

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I don't think many people will bother cracking LGP games as it wont give them as big an ego boost as cracking something from EA or one of the other big hitters. Sure it'll be cracked eventually, everything is, but I think pirates might have to wait a while... at least I hope they will.